Embedded Software Engineer

KO2 Embedded Recruitment Solutions Ltd; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 80,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Job summary

KO2 Embedded Recruitment Solutions Ltd is seeking a seasoned firmware lead to take ownership of device firmware in a fully remote UK role. You will tackle the meaty, low-level challenges across multiple microcontrollers and radios, shaping the platform for future releases.

You will mentor the team, set coding and testing standards, and drive robust firmware development for energy-sector devices connected to cloud services. A strong hardware focus and AI-assisted development mindset are valued.

Qualifications

• Strong embedded C on resource constrained microcontrollers (e.g. ESP32, STM32)
• Experience with FreeRTOS or similar RTOS
• Hands-on hardware debugging with scopes/logic analyzers

Responsibilities

• Lead the build-out of device firmware and own low-level issues
• Set standards and mentor the team on platform direction
• Collaborate across hardware/firmware to ensure robust, scalable solutions

Skills

Embedded C

RTOS (FreeRTOS)

Hardware debugging

ESP32

MQTT

TLS security

Thread protocol

C++

Radio coexistence

Low memory optimization

Tools

Oscilloscope

Logic analyzers

Job description

Location: Fully remote, UK wide (company events in Cheshire)

This is not one of those roles where you inherit a dusty codebase and a twelve month backlog of bug tickets. It's a genuinely novel piece of engineering in one of the most consequential sectors in the country, and our client is after a proper seasoned firmware engineer to take the technical lead on the device side.

The opportunity

Our client builds intelligent connected hardware for the energy sector: devices at the very edge of the grid that talk to all manner of third party equipment over multiple radios and wired protocols, reporting securely back to the cloud. The engineering team is deliberately small and exceptionally senior, and they've invested heavily in AI driven development pipelines to accelerate the build. They don't want an army; they want a handful of very capable engineers who can steer those tools intelligently and bring the deep hardware understanding no model can replace.

The technology

• ESP32 handling comms: WiFi and BLE now, Thread next, multi radio beyond that
• Multiple RP2040 class microcontrollers running the bulk of the application firmware
• A dedicated processor acting as security firewall and orchestrator
• STM32 class parts, FreeRTOS, embedded C with some C++
• SPI and UART between processors, MQTT with mutual TLS to the cloud, Modbus to third party kit
• A substantial codebase, already around 300,000 lines

The role

You'll lead the build out of the device firmware, taking ownership of the meaty, low level problems that sort the seasoned from the merely enthusiastic: SPI bus behaviour, timing across processors, tight memory footprints, radio coexistence and field reliability. You'll set standards, mentor the wider team and have a real say in where the platform goes next.

What you'll bring

• Strong embedded C on resource constrained microcontrollers
• FreeRTOS or comparable RTOS experience
• Real depth in hardware facing debugging with scopes and logic analysers
• Wireless connected device experience; ESP32, BLE, WiFi or Thread
• MQTT, TLS and secure device to cloud communication
• An open mind towards AI assisted development
• Smart energy, metering, IoT gateway or EV charging background would be a bonus

Where and how

Fully remote, work from anywhere in the UK. The team meets periodically in Cheshire for company events and the odd bit of lab work.

The package

£80,000 to £85,000 basic plus genuine equity, coming in at a point where your contribution properly shapes the product.

Roles combining novel architecture, real ownership, top end pay, equity and full remote working don't hang about. If tracking down an intermittent bus fault gives you a quiet thrill, I'd very much like to hear from you.